FIA arrests 14 Chinese nationals, recovers 3 girls in human trafficking

ISLAMABAD (92 news) – The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Wednesday arrested 14 Chinese nationals associated with a gang involved in trafficking of Pakistani girls to China on the pretext of false marriage. According to the reports, the FIA Anti Human Trafficking Cell conducted a raid and recovered three girls as well as arms from the possession of the held suspects. The Chinese nationals have been shifted to the FIA Headquarters for further investigation. On the other hand, the FIA acting on intelligence information raided a wedding ceremony in Faisalabad and arrested the Chinese groom identified as Chang Zahid, a Christian father, Kashif, a matchmaking agent, Mendes, a Chinese woman, and other suspects were also taken into custody in the raid. The issue involving trafficking of Pakistani girls to China from Lahore and other parts of Punjab under the garb of false marriage came to light recently. The Chinese Embassy in Islamabad had issued a statement after a lawmaker raised the issue in the parliament. “Chinese laws and regulations strictly prohibit cross-national matchmaking centers. China is cooperating with Pakistani law enforcement agencies to crack down on illegal matchmaking centers,” it tweeted. An agent was also arrested from Faisalabad. Meanwhile, the FIA arrested dozens of accused from Lahore, Faisalabad and Mandi Bahauddin. The police and secret agencies took the travel documents of Chinese bridegroom. According to the FIA, local people and marriage bureau agents were also involved in the illegal business. The agents allured the girls from poor families and contracted marriages with Chinese nationals. Later, the girls were smuggled to China and forced to immoral activities. Meanwhile, a local court remanded four accused involved in smuggling girls to China in the custody of the FIA for three days.